Career High

On Career High, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Charlie Zimmerman, Principal of Metamora Township High School in Illinois, to explore how high schools can prepare students for real careers before they graduate. Charlie shares how Metamora’s long-standing commitment to Career and Technical Education (CTE) gives students hands-on exposure to industries like manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, engineering, and computer science while still offering strong academic pathways.As both the principal and a proud alum of the school, Charlie brings a personal passion to the conversation. From growing up in a blue-collar family to leading the very school he once attended, he explains why career-connected learning matters and how exposure to real tools, real employers, and real projects helps students discover their strengths.The episode also dives into how Metamora integrates CTE directly into the high school experience, allowing students to take AP classes and work in the metal shop on the same day. From building press box stairs for the school’s softball field to designing new podiums for the auditorium, students are learning by doing while building skills that translate directly into careers.Key Moments05:27 Versatile School Ag-Tech Facilities08:16 Student Credentialing and Employer Collaboration11:30 "CTE Pathway Drives Graduation Success"14:14 "Instant Gratification in Education"19:12 Athlete Dreams to Surgeon Aspirations21:20 "Reluctant Educator Turned Doctorate"23:51 "Building Success for Everyone"Why You’ll Love This EpisodeA thoughtful look at how one high school is redefining what preparation for the future looks like. If you care about career-connected learning, hands-on education, or how schools can help students discover their path earlier, this episode offers real-world insight and inspiration.Connect with Charlie Zimmerman | Principal, Metamora Township High SchoolLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-zimmerman-6588852a7 Company Website: https://www.mths.us/ Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Kristy Cleppe, Principal of Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, to explore what it takes to build strong career connected learning inside a traditional high school.Kristy shares her non traditional path into education. She began her career as a financial analyst with degrees in accounting and business administration before moving into teaching business education. That real world background shaped her passion for Career and Technical Education and long term pathway development.Bettendorf High School serves about 1,350 to 1,400 students in the Quad Cities area. The school is known for strong athletics, fine arts, and a supportive community. Over the last decade, Bettendorf has also leaned into early career pathway development. Iowa data showing declining postsecondary completion rates and a growing number of students choosing alternatives to four year college pushed leaders to rethink how high school could better prepare students for what comes next.Kristy explains how early partnerships with area high schools and the local community college helped the district design programs that allow students to explore pathways without leaving their building. What began as shared advising evolved into a full career center model that now supports students starting as early as eighth grade.Key Moments04:57 Launching the Future Ready Coach model5:03 "Future-Ready Career Center Evolution"06:13 Overview of major pathways offered08:43 "Making Math Relevant Through Applicability"10:31 Preparing Students for Future Careers12:42 "Connecting Careers to Core Classes"15:13 Student reactions to career exposure17:15 "Bridging Teachers and Administrators"19:28 "Non-Traditional Teacher Hiring Paths"Why You’ll Love This EpisodeThis episode offers a practical look at how to build career connected learning without sacrificing college readiness. Kristy shares how to organize a career center, build strong partnerships, integrate career relevance into core academics, and support non-traditional teachers entering the classroom. It is a clear blueprint for schools that want to give students real options after graduation.Connect with  Kristy Cleppe | Principal, Bettendorf High SchoolLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-cleppe-b49b8546 Company Website: https://www.bettendorf.k12.ia.us/o/bhs Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Mitch Gross, Principal of Iowa City West High School in the Iowa City Community School District. Mitch shares how his career started in politics and government before he made the jump into teaching, then leadership. He also breaks down how West High is balancing a highly rigorous academic culture with growing demand for internships, trades, and career exploration.West High serves about 1,600 students and has been ranked the number one high school in Iowa by U.S. News and World Report for four straight years. Mitch highlights what makes the school stand out. It is a minority majority campus, about 46% white, with a 32% poverty rate. Students and families speak 17 languages. Mitch says the school aims to reflect the real world and treats diversity as a strength.The conversation also digs into post COVID shifts. Mitch points to attention span, lingering academic gaps, and a new need to reset expectations around attendance and showing up even when you do not feel great. He notes that behavior and culture are stabilizing, but academic impacts may last for a full generation.On career connected learning, Mitch shares how West High is expanding internships for credit, leveraging proximity to major healthcare institutions, and building stronger partnerships with a top tier community college system. He also discusses a key challenge. With a traditional 7 period day, students often have more interests than scheduled slots. That creates tradeoffs between core requirements, electives, and work based experiences.Key Moments03:05 Rise in Lax School Attendance08:37 Educational Diversity in Iowa11:25 "Rethinking Career Paths and Trades"14:21 Shift in Attitudes Toward College18:39 Career Academies and Dream Accelerator19:33 Junior Achievement Career Readiness Program25:04 Beyond Traditional Education Systems27:24 "Schools as Society’s Safety Net"30:37 Education Systems: Stagnation Across BordersWhy You’ll Love This EpisodeYou will hear a practical view of what career connected learning looks like inside a high performing, university town high school. Mitch shares real tradeoffs around scheduling and graduation requirements, plus what has worked to expand internships, dual credit, and exposure to careers without weakening strong academic outcomes. The episode also gives an honest look at what changed after COVID and what schools are still rebuilding.Connect with Mitch Gross | Principal, Iowa City Community School DistrictLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-gross-b0023a3a1 Company Website: https://west.iowacityschools.org/ Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On this episode of Career High, host Jeremy Smith talks with Brad Jones, Principal of Seaman High School in the Seaman School District near Topeka, Kansas. Brad shares what makes Seaman feel like a small town inside a large school, and how the district builds career connected learning through hands-on programs, internships, and real world partnerships.Brad explains that Seaman is a blue collar, hard working community where many families and staff are multi generation graduates. The school anchors its identity in the “3 A’s” Academics, Arts, and Athletics. He also shares one of Seaman’s most unique features. It is home to the oldest high school bank in the nation, established in 1927, where students can open accounts and learn how money works through a real bank environment.Brad also shares a standout leadership move. He created a “Be a Kid Again” professional development day where students taught teachers in CTE and elective classrooms. Teachers rotated through sessions like welding, ceramics, drumline, and floriculture. The goal was to break silos, elevate student voice, and help staff see learning from the student seat again.Key Moments04:22 Why a student bank matters06:41 Floriculture and real event work08:32 "Career Paths vs. Reality"11:33 "Career Insights Through Reflection"15:39 Encouraging Conversation Over Cellphones18:30 "Phone Etiquette and Practice"21:24 "Embracing Career Flexibility"23:48 "Connections Shape Career Paths"26:25 “Tradition is peer pressure from dead people”28:22 "Teachers Learning Outside the Box"Why You’ll Love This EpisodeThis conversation is full of practical ideas that are easy to apply. You will hear how Seaman builds career exploration into the school day, how real partnerships create real options, and how student-led learning can strengthen culture for both kids and adults. Brad also offers a refreshing reminder. Students do not need to have it all figured out. They just need chances to try.Connect with Kristy Brad Jones | Principal, Seaman High SchoolLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-jones-23242a3a Company Website: https://shs.seamanschools.org/ Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Christopher Carter, Principal of Northside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, about what it takes to build a school where students belong, thrive, and graduate with real options. Chris reflects on 30 years in education (27 as an administrator) and the leadership lessons that shaped his approach, especially the idea that schools improve fastest when culture, instruction, and career pathways are treated as one connected system.Chris shares how his time as a building principal in Magnolia, Arkansas became a turning point in his career-connected learning journey. There, he helped launch an inclusion-focused agricultural CTE class through the Boundless Learning model, giving students with IEPs meaningful, hands-on opportunities that later expanded into programs like animal showing and even a student-run dog grooming class.Now back in his hometown as principal of Northside High School, Chris leads one of the most diverse high schools in the country: 2,200–2,400 students, 49 home languages, and a school culture built on pride and ownership. Under his leadership, Northside has made a dramatic academic turnaround—rising from a D rating to a B in four years—by shifting expectations, empowering teachers, bringing parents back as partners, and building a stronger sense of belonging across all programs, including CTE.Key Moments03:52 "Principal Returns to Hometown School"08:57 "Love Your School, Give Back"09:46 "Building Success and Connections"14:43 "Positivity Through Challenging Days"18:17 Growing Career Pathways for Students20:23 Trade School Partnerships and Apprenticeships22:53 "Streamlined Pathways for Youth Success"28:03 Surround Yourself With Smart People29:56 "Chris's Impact on Education"Why You’ll Love This EpisodeA powerful example of how school improvement isn’t just about test prep—it’s about building belonging, pride, and real pathways. You’ll hear how Northside created a student-owned culture that drives academic growth, how CTE programs can elevate every learner (including students with IEPs), and why strong partnerships and early pathway exploration can reshape outcomes in a diverse, high-volume high school.Connect with Christopher Carter | Principal, Fort Smith Public SchoolsCompany Website: https://northside.fortsmithschools.org/ Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Jeff Linden, Principal of Hastings High School in Hastings, Nebraska, to explore what career-connected learning looks like in a practical, community-driven district. Jeff introduces Hastings as a blue-collar town of about 25,000 that supports three high schools, with Hastings High serving as the flagship campus in a district that includes five elementary schools, a middle school, and the high school.Jeff shares his own leadership journey, from teaching and coaching across multiple Nebraska schools to serving eight years in the Army Reserves, before stepping into the principal role (now in his fourth year at Hastings). From there, he breaks down how Hastings High balances college prep with strong career and technical education, emphasizing that success should not be limited to one “correct” path. While college still matters, Jeff argues that industry careers are booming as baby boomers retire, creating real opportunities for students to earn, advance, and build stable lives—often faster and with less debt.The conversation highlights Hastings High’s growing ecosystem of pathways and work-based learning: resume building, job shadowing, job exploration, paid internships, and community partnerships across healthcare, manufacturing, construction, finance, education, and more. Jeff explains how students move through exploration in junior year and into paid internships in senior year, using real experience to confirm what they want, or just as importantly, what they don’t want before spending money on postsecondary training.Key Moments06:20 Career Exploration Through Internships09:25 Career Paths After High School12:49 Building Education Pathways Early15:02 "White-Collar Trade School Model"19:20 "Passion for Free Education"21:36 Career Pathways and Local Support25:55 "Smarter Approach to College"28:41 "PegasTech: College Alternative Launch"Why You’ll Love This EpisodeA grounded, no-hype look at how a real high school builds career pathways that match its local economy while still supporting college-bound students at a high level. You’ll hear what work-based learning actually looks like in practice, how paid internships help students make smarter decisions before taking on debt, and why the future belongs to schools that treat careers as options—not afterthoughts.Connect with Jeff Linden | Principal, Hastings Public SchoolsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-principal-jl Company Website: https://hastingspublicschools.org/ Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On Career High by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Brian Riddick, Principal of Butler College Prep in Chicago and a founding staff member of the Noble Schools campus. Brian shares his 13-year journey at Butler, from founding English teacher to launching the school’s college team, and how that experience shaped his approach to helping students connect high school, college, and long-term careers with more clarity and purpose.Brian explains that at Butler, college is the North Star. With “college” literally in the school’s name, the message starts early and stays consistent through freshman orientation, parent meetings, and ongoing student support. But Brian also emphasizes the importance of “threading” the conversation for students, helping them understand not just that they should go to college, but why it matters, how to make choices along the way, and how those choices connect to the real world.The conversation dives into Butler’s approach to career exploration through early college seminar programming, strengths and interest assessments, and multiple internship pathways, including partnerships with Genesis Works, Urban Alliance, and a unique summer research internship with Northwestern School of Medicine focused on Alzheimer’s and dementia research in communities of color. Brian and Jeremy also discuss the practical tensions between college prep and career connected learning, including the reality that many students do not have the luxury of time and must think early about earning, debt, and employability.Key Moments04:39 "College and Career Readiness Focus"07:08 Aligning Passions with Career Choices12:33 "Student Internships and Career Skills"14:54 "Success Looks Like Me" Origins19:46 College Prep vs Career Readiness21:42 "Preparing Students for Next Steps"25:50 "Lessons from Post-Katrina New Orleans"29:43 "Supporting Students Through Connections"30:59 "Reflecting on 13 Years"Why You’ll Love This Episode A real look at what it takes to build college going culture while still honoring career realities. You’ll hear how a Chicago principal connects academics, internships, and life skills into a coherent pathway for students, and why alumni support and trust-building matter just as much as GPA and test scores.Connect with Brian Riddick | Principal, Butler College Prep (Noble Schools campus)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjriddick Company Website: https://nobleschools.org/butler/ Follow UsCareer High By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About Career High By Pega6Career High is the podcast that spotlights principals transforming high schools into launchpads for real-world success through career-connected learning, industry partnerships, and innovative pathways.

On NO ENTRY Level by Pega6, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Peter Ngai, Vice President of Engineering at SnapLogic, to unpack how early career talent is changing in an AI-powered world. Peter shares why roles like “architect” don’t really have an entry-level version and why accumulated wisdom, cross-functional collaboration, and business context matter as much as technical skill.Jeremy and Peter explore how SnapLogic approaches early career hiring (often through master’s-level talent due to the complexity of its systems), and how AI is rapidly reshaping what “being job-ready” means. Peter describes the shift he’s seeing firsthand: the strongest new hires treat AI as an assistant, not a threat, moving faster, learning quicker, and building with a modern toolset that older generations may still resist.The conversation then zooms out to the bigger future of software work. As coding becomes more “disposable” and experimentation gets easier, Jeremy argues we’ll see faster breakthroughs driven by more people building more things. Peter agrees, predicting that in five years, high-performing engineers will look more like orchestrators: AI-native builders who can guide complex systems, think like architects, and stay deeply aligned with the business outcomes the software exists to serve.Key Moments05:07 "Building Software in Teams"09:19 "Early Career Mindset Insights"12:30 Hiring Algorithms Complexity Explained15:39 AI Tools Revolutionizing Development19:00 "AI-First Mindset in Education"20:48 "Mastering Modern Tools for Success"24:01 "AI and Technological Disruption"28:17 "Disposable Code Speeds Innovation"32:19 "AI Builders as Future Architects"33:50 "System Building Through Vibecoding"Why You’ll Love This EpisodeA grounded look at what AI is actually changing for early career engineers, and what it isn’t. You’ll hear how one VP of Engineering evaluates entry-level readiness, why AI-native fluency is becoming non-negotiable, and why the future of engineering is less about writing every line of code and more about orchestrating systems with an architect’s mindset.Connect with Peter Ngai | Vice President of Engineering, SnapLogicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterngai/ Company Website: https://www.snaplogic.com/ Follow UsNO ENTRY Level By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About NO ENTRY Level  By Pega6NO ENTRY Level is the podcast where the future of early career work gets real. Produced by Pega6, each episode features founders, operators, and talent leaders who are using AI, automation, and new hiring models to rethink what entry level roles look like and how to build teams that are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

On NO ENTRY Level, host Jeremy Smith speaks with Adam Hopson, COO of Flyhomes, about what it takes to build early career talent in a world where AI is rapidly eliminating traditional entry level grunt work and remote or hybrid work is removing the in office learning that used to shape new hires. Adam shares how Flyhomes helps everyday buyers purchase a new home before selling their current one, making a cash like offer possible without needing a massive stock portfolio.Adam also reflects on the less visible side of early career success, mentorship, guidance, and the unspoken norms people used to absorb simply by being around colleagues. From a candid early career mistake at Lehman Brothers to the practical reality of training juniors in smaller organizations, he explains why the biggest challenge is not young people themselves but whether companies have the bandwidth to coach them well.The conversation then turns to the AI shift and why the old trade off of training plus grunt work no longer holds. Adam explains how AI can complete tasks that once took a junior half a day in seconds, and why early career candidates now need to stand out through curiosity, initiative, and AI native fluency. Jeremy connects this to Pega6, a one year, AI first college alternative designed to produce job ready entry plus employees, and they close on a key challenge for the next generation: learning how to grow in remote environments by intentionally creating mentorship and high quality feedback loops.Key Moments04:24 "Importance of Mentorship for Beginners"09:32 "What Makes Candidates Stand Out?"10:27 Proactive Growth and Genuine Curiosity14:58 "Career-Focused Accelerators for Graduates"19:11 "Beyond Boot Camps: New Accelerators"22:56 "Embracing AI for Research"26:48 "Be a Cyborg, Not Replaced"29:31 Economic Shifts in Tech Revolution32:25 Technology Disrupts, Creates Jobs35:32 "Emerging Role: Internal Product Builder"38:24 "Adapting to Emerging Relevance"40:23 "Remote Work Challenges for New Grads"43:58 Hybrid Cohort Scheduling SolutionWhy You’ll Love This EpisodeA practical look at the two forces reshaping early career work at the same time: AI removing traditional entry level tasks and remote work removing in office learning. You’ll walk away with concrete insights on mentorship, hiring signals that matter, and how early career employees can stay competitive by becoming AI native and intentional about learning.Connect with Adam Hopson | COO, FlyhomesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhopson/Company Website: https://flyhomes.com/ Follow UsNO ENTRY Level By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/ About NO ENTRY Level By Pega6 NO ENTRY Level is the podcast where the future of early career work gets real. Produced by Pega6, each episode features founders, operators, and talent leaders who are using AI, automation, and new hiring models to rethink what entry level roles look like and how to build teams that are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

In the very first episode of  NO ENTRY Level Podcast, host Jeremy Smith sits down with Ira Zlotowitz, Co Founder and CEO of GPARENCY and founder of Avery, to unpack how AI and automation are changing commercial real estate finance and what it now means to hire early career talent. Ira shares the journey from building a top ten commercial mortgage brokerage at Eastern Union to launching GPARENCY's flat fee mortgage assurance model and then spinning out Avery as an AI-first automation platform for acquisitions and financing.From separating all human execution at GPARENCY from all tech at Avery, to creating a fixed fee structure that lets borrowers shop smarter and keep brokers and lenders in check, Ira explains why transparency, incentives, and AI tooling are reshaping how deals get done. He and Jeremy also dig into what skills young employees need to thrive in this new world and why roles like product builder and future Chief Automation Officers may become some of the most valuable jobs in the AI age.Key Moments00:54 Ira on GPARENCY's 4,500 dollar fixed fee mortgage assurance model01:56 Why most commercial real estate borrowers leave money on the table03:05 How building Eastern Union revealed coming disruption from tech and AI03:56 Spinning Avery out of GPARENCY as an independent AI automation platform04:32 How Avery supports acquisitions, pipelines, and DIY financing for clients05:24 The QuickBooks style model of do it yourself, do it with help, or full service06:56 Why GPARENCY charges a fixed fee with no ulterior motive for borrowers08:10 Ira's hiring filter around AI enthusiasm and being a driver or co pilot for change10:12 Jeremy describes Pega6 as a one year, AI first alternative to traditional college11:18 The emerging product builder role that blends product, engineering, and design12:32 Ira's vision for the future Chief Automation Officer as a top leadership roleWhy You Will Love This EpisodeA concise, practical look at how AI, automation, and new business models are transforming both commercial real estate finance and the expectations for early career employees, ideal for founders, hiring managers, and ambitious professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve.Connect with Ira Zlotowitz | Co Founder and CEO, GPARENCYLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irazlotowitzCompany Website: https://gparency.com/Follow Us NO ENTRY Level By Pega6Host: Jeremy SmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyasmithPega6 Website: https://www.pega6.com/Pega6 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pega6/About  NO ENTRY Level By Pega6NO ENTRY Level is the podcast where the future of early career work gets real. Produced by Pega6, each episode features founders, operators, and talent leaders who are using AI, automation, and new hiring models to rethink what entry level roles look like and how to build teams that are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.